December 24

It happened, when King David lived in his house,
and the Lord had given him rest
from all his enemies all around,
that the king said to Nathan the prophet,
“See now, I dwell in a house of cedar,
but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”
Nathan said to the king,
“Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.”

It happened that same night,
that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord:
“Shall you build me a house to dwell in?
I took you from the sheep pen,
from following the sheep,
that you should be prince over my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and have cut off all your enemies from before you.
I will make you a great name,
like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
I will appoint a place for my people Israel,
and will plant them that they may dwell in their own place,
and be moved no more;
nor shall the children of wickedness
afflict them anymore, as at first,
and from the days that I commanded judges
to be over my people Israel.
I will cause you to rest from all your enemies.
Moreover the Lord tells you
that the Lord will make you a house.
When your days are fulfilled,
and you sleep with your fathers,
I will set up your seed after you,
who shall proceed out of your loins,
and I will establish his kingdom.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son.
Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.
Your throne shall be established forever.”

Responsorial – Psalm 89.2-3, 4-5, 27+29 Resp. 2

R. I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.

I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.
With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.”
You established the heavens and your faithfulness is in them.”

R. I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David, my servant,
‘I will establish your seed forever,
and build up your throne to all generations.’”

R. I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.

He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.
My covenant will stand firm with him.

R. I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.

Gospel – Luke 1.67-79

His father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit,
and prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited
and worked redemption for his people;
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David.
As he promised from of old
by the mouth of his holy prophets:
to save us from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show mercy to our fathers;
and to remember his holy covenant.
The oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father:
to grant to us that we,
being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
should serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life.
And you, child,
will be called a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the remission of their sins,
because by the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will visit us,
to shine on those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death;
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”